The Minister of Justice, Ivo Valente, took part, last February 22nd and 23rd, of the 9th Ministers of Justice International Congress, in Rome, Italy.
Acting as Minister of Justice and as President for the Conference of Ministers of Justice of the Portuguese Speaking Countries, Ivo Valente stated during his speech that every CPLP countries “abolished the death penalty, an intolerable affront to human dignity and a violation of human rights.
“The right to life is the first fundamental right stated in Timor-Leste Constitution”, he adds.
The Minister Ivo Valente also recognized the important role of the Catholic Church in Timor-Leste, “by taking on the suffering of all the People with dignity, placing itself on their side in the defense of their most fundamental rights”.
Under the motto “A world without death penalty – There is no Justice without Life”, this Congress, promoted by the President of the Community of Sant’Egidio, Marco Impagliazzo, and hosted by the Italian Minister of Justice, Andrea Orlando, had the participation of Ministers of Justice from more than 30 countries, representatives of abolitionist countries, as well as countries where death penalty still remains, such as Vietnam and Somalia.